Aberdeen and granite are synonymous with one another. It was the economic bedrock on which the city was built – both figuratively and literally, as anyone who knows the city well would attest.

In the industry's heyday granite was exported across the world, taking Aberdonians with it and bringing new people to the city. It's at the heart of Aberdeen's history and is seen by many as a strong metaphor for what its people are about: resilience and a rock solid determination to succeed, combined with a certain charm and sparkle.

In the modern era, the Granite City has transformed into the energy capital of Europe. Oil and gas expertise has come to create the city we know today, playing a similar role to granite centuries ago. At a time when this industry finds itself at a pivotal point, it's more important than ever to support Aberdeen, the city's vibrant business community and its people.

That's why it's our privilege to back Granite, a cultural initiative with huge significance for Aberdeen. Over the course of the next year, we'll be working closely with the National Theatre of Scotland and Aberdeen City Council on a project which will bring the city's people together to explore and celebrate their heritage.

The project appealed for a number of reasons. Firstly, as a firm we have a long history in Aberdeen and I have led our practice here for more than 15 years. We continue to be committed to the city and very much see ourselves as part of its future.

Secondly, despite challenging conditions in the North Sea we remain ambitious and confident about Aberdeen's future prospects. New developments on the horizon, such as the Aberdeen City Deal, are positive steps in the right direction – helping to regenerate the city centre and providing much-needed investment in infrastructure.

Thirdly, we also plan to continue our investment in the city, actively look for new talent and we're here to support our clients in the wider region. We recently appointed a new director to our Aberdeen office and the city remains a priority for the firm.

Fourthly, collaboration will be an important part of helping the oil and gas industry through this challenging period. It will also have a crucial role to play in much of Granite's success – by bringing together a variety of people, communities and groups. That's something everyone doing business in the city can learn from. It's a concept we're also currently exploring in greater depth.

Lastly, we instantly related to this project because of its focus on the impact of Aberdonians across the world, as well as those who have come from other parts of the globe to make Aberdeen their home. For an international firm like Deloitte, this has real relevance to our people and the way we work.

When times are tough, it's often cultural activities and arts projects which are the first things to suffer from restricted budgets. That's why we are genuinely excited to support Granite and are enthusiastic about what it holds in store for the city.

Aberdeen is a unique place in lots of ways, and we're looking forward to playing our part in a project which demonstrates that Aberdeen's strengths lie not only in business and energy, but also in its history and culture.

You can find out more about Granite here.

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